A Good Reason to Stay Home

Lately here in Cookeville many hours have been spent indoors. The schools have been closed for more days than I can ever remember. The bitter cold and wintry mixes have kept county roads unsafe for carefree travel. The flu has been spreading, and some of our younger people in our community have even died from it. Nobody wants to visit our local hospital for fear of infectious disease. Besides all of this, it has just been plain cold! Even our dog has been living in the garage most evenings. You have to talk yourself into going outside and tell yourself that whatever you are doing is worth it.

Now imagine, if you will, an even better reason for staying at home. Imagine that leaving your house meant certain death! When the Israelites invaded Jericho after the famous destruction of the city walls, they were given these instructions by Joshua, their courageous leader, "Now the city shall be doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it" (Joshua 6:17a). To be a Gentile in Jericho on that day was bad news. It was a death sentence decreed by God Himself. Not only was there a proclamation, there was ample power to execute.

But Rahab and her household were the exception, for Joshua also said, "Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent" (Joshua 6:17b). Rahab had been moved with godly fear to help the Israelite spies hide safely when they first came to the city. In exchange for her assistance she made them promise to save her and all of her family when they came to destroy Jericho. The spies agreed, upon the condition of her both gathering all of her family under her one roof, and marking her house with a scarlet chord which would be seen hanging from her outer window. They also added the following arrangement - "So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him" (Joshua 2:19).

When it comes to the principle of staying at home for safety's sake, there is a great lesson here. Everyone outside of Noah's ark perished (Genesis 7:23). Every Gentile outside of Rahab's house died. Every person outside of the Lord's body, the church, will also perish (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23). The church is the true "ark" of the covenant. The church is the true house of safety. It is not just about getting in the house in time, as some are willing to do, but it is about staying there! There is a reason God wants us to be at home. Danger lurks outside, and the devil will take our lives from us right in the middle of the street! This is why God has designed salvation such that it is only available for those who will be found faithfully serving in His household when Jesus comes again (Matthew 10:22).

We need to be wise. It shouldn't take but a small peak out our window for us to see what is going on in the world. What some call "choices" and "expression" and "opportunity" could just as easily be called spears and swords and daggers. We can watch from inside the house and see that those things are killing people spiritually everyday. Don't be fooled. We don't have to leave the house and participate in order to find out.

If you are a Christian, please realize you have come to the mountain of Zion and the city and fortress of the living God! Nothing can touch you in here! If you are not a Christian, please understand that the walls have fallen, the water is rising, the enemy is present, and you need to go home to God immediately. When you get there, STAY THERE! The possibility of an eternity in hell is a good reason to stay home!

"Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie." ~ Revelation 22:14-15

A State of National Repentance

Judah had faltered. Like the northern nation of Israel, characterized by years of wickedness and self-seeking leadership, the two southern tribes eventually gave way to idolatry and were also taken captive. As the Babylonian exile drew to a close and the Persian empire gained control, Cyrus began to allow the Jews to go back to their homeland. First it was Zerubbabel leading the charge, then Esther's courage to defend her people, followed by Ezra, who led another return as the temple was rebuilt in Jerusalem. Finally came Nehemiah, the Persian King's cupbearer - an Israelite who shed tears for his people and his homeland.

But Nehemiah's sadness led to Israel's gladness. Not only was the Jerusalem wall reconstructed in less than two months (Neh. 6:15), but a national repentance and revival took place among the Hebrews. Paul wrote to the Corinthians to remind them that, "...godly sorrow leads to repentance unto salvation, not to be regretted..." (2 Cor. 7:10). The reforms of the days of Josiah had come to Judah because of his heartbreak, and the blessings from Nehemiah's tears are also a firm reminder that sometimes people, and even nations need to have a good cry. They need to look in the mirror and have a reality check. They need to not like what they see and make a change. Some of the greatest of spiritual awakenings can happen once hearts are broken.

In chapter 8 of Nehemiah, several inspirational events take place on a national level:

1. The people gather together as one man in the open square (8:1).
2. All of the people old enough to understand, both men and women, listen attentively to Ezra's public reading of God's law, which lasts all day (8:2-3).
3. When Ezra opens the book of the law in the sight of all the people, godly fear and reverence comes over the multitude and all the people stand up (8:5).
4. As Ezra pronounces blessings and honor to Jehovah, the people shout, "Amen." They then bow down with their faces to the ground and worship God (8:6).
5. While Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites teach the people the meaning of the law, the people begin to weep (8:9).
6. Nehemiah encourages to people not to cry, but rather to wipe their tears and rejoice, because God has made known unto them His law, and because, "The Lord your God is your strength" (8:10-11).
7. The people rejoice in festivities of thanksgiving, because they have been made to understand God's will for them (8:12).
8. The Israelites observe the feast of booths when they discover it in the reading. They keep the feast for seven days, the book of the law being read to them each day, and on the eighth day they hold a solemn assembly according to the commandment (8:18).

One cannot read the book of Nehemiah without being moved by the reaction of the people to God's word. This book is a humbling reminder that God's Israel, the church, ought to be in a state of national repentance whenever His word is publicly presented.

Wouldn't it be nice to think of our coming together in the assembly as a weekly practice of national repentance and rededication before God? Shouldn't we have the same respect and awe for the power of His word, the same tears for our failings, and the same joy for God's willingness to communicate and our ability to understand? Every time we come together, if our hearts are broken, great spiritual awakenings can take place.

This is what the unveiling of God's word and the response of Christian worship are all about.

"Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth." ~ Proverbs 7:24

Unreachable

There are some people who can simply not be reached with the gospel of Christ. It is not for the lack of effort that has been spent to reach them. It is not for their lack of ability to learn or to change. It is not for the lack of God's desire to reach them - consider what all He has done - what else is left for Him to do? It is not for their lack of opportunity to hear the message and respond.  The basic reason some people are unreachable is because they do not want to be reached.

As the years pass in my ministry I am learning this reality more and more. I look out to a group of about 450 people a week and realize that there are some of them who have put up road-blocks, allowing no transformation to take place. Some people attend church services with their spouses, but have no desire to ever become a member of the church of the Bible. Some people have denominational backgrounds, and they refuse to leave the religion of their family. Some have been raised in the church, but they have decided for so many years not to obey the gospel that they will likely die outside of Christ. And even for those who are in the Lord's church, there are pieces of themselves and certain freedoms they enjoy that they have still held in reserve, not willing to give them over to the one who bled and died for them. Now - I have only listed some of the people who actually come to worship!

I am not cynical, mind you, but it does pay at times to be realistic. There is no heart so hard that it cannot be melted by the love of Christ and the true and powerful message of the gospel (Rom. 1:16). Realizing that you are more interested in the salvation of some people than they are themselves can help your ministry. If you are pressing too hard, this will tell you to back off. It will keep you at times from casting your pearls in the wrong places. It is also good to be reminded that you, yourself really have nothing to do with it. Every person will have to decide on their own how to live and where they want to spend eternity. Your job is just to try and aid them in the process of making the right decisions along the way.

The unreachable can be very frustrating to some Christians. I only say some Christians because a good number of Christians never try to be evangelistic. They think it is the preacher's job, or at least that evangelism is only for those who are naturally charismatic. They have never considered that maybe the people who are evangelistic have the same fears and concerns and limitations that they do, but that the only difference is that some Christians just love people too much to say or do nothing. For the Christian who doesn't want to bring people to Jesus, the unreachable people bring them comfort - somehow it doesn't make them feel so accountable or negligent. But this does not make their tree any less bare.

So why am I writing this article? And why is it going on the front page of the church bulletin? Here's why. Because I am not giving up. I am going to let the unreachable people remain unreachable only by their own choice - not mine. I will continue to preach the gospel so that I can potentially save myself and them. If they hate me for it, that is ok. If they disagree with what I teach, they have the right to do so. If they misunderstand me, I will try harder to be understood. If they need space, I will give it to them. But if at some point they crack the door of their heart in even the slightest sense to let the true gospel in, I plan to be standing there ready to fill the gap.

The only thing that was ever worth doing was the thing that they said couldn't be done. I have a plan. My plan is to reach the unreachable. Will you join me?

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'” ~ Matthew 19:23-26

Banana Pudding

For some people, it was just another morning. But for one family, it was a life-changing morning. I had only been at the office for a few minutes that Thursday, when one of our elders called me to tell me his mother had unexpectedly passed away. I had undergone a similar experience with my father on a Sunday morning just a little over a year earlier, and like my good friend and brother, Larry, I was also trying to get to my remaining parent as quickly as possible. In both cases our parents lived a couple hours away by car, and no other family members were close by.

As the morning continued, we met and drove together to his parents' home. In some ways it seemed like minutes, and in other ways hours. Family members and friends were being notified. Loved ones immediately began to travel and make appropriate arrangements. The emotions one goes through during this time are unexplainable. Unless you have lost a parent or close family member in this manner, it is hard to understand the experience. But you just do what has to be done. You switch your setting to auto-pilot and deal with the grief later when you have time. There are so many things to take in and you just have to help your family. The need to assist your grieving parent is your number one priority.

While we rode along in the car I remained somewhat quiet. I did not want to say anything that might add to the weight of the burden that my friend had so quickly been forced to bear. There were many things discussed and for some periods there was just silence. The blessing of a Christian life that had been lived and the certainty of heaven was an overwhelming comfort in this process. But one thing in particular that Larry said as we traveled has been in my mind ever since. I have thought about it every day since December 19. The holidays were upon us. Christmas was now less than a week away. And Larry mentioned, "She was going to make me some banana pudding."

The amazing power found only in love cannot have its full impact unless adequately expressed. I thought immediately to myself how blessed my friend had been to have had a mother who loved him so much! A mother who expressed her love through service and devotion to her family. A mother, who in her sixties still made banana pudding for a son who was in his forties. When we lose someone so close to us, the separation can be truly overwhelming. Their presence in our lives is so important to our comfort and happiness and security. I am finding that it is not the huge expressions or sacrifices that make the greatest impact in our relationships, but rather, the seemingly smaller expressions that make up the actual majority of the lives we share together.

It is waking up knowing that your wife has already made the coffee. It is understanding that your husband already made sure to insulate the outside pipes before the bitter cold arrived. It is looking on the ironing board and seeing that she has pressed your dress-shirt for you. It is walking to the counter to pick up the stack of mail that he brought back from the mailbox. It is banana pudding made just for you by mom at Christmas time.

Look within your heart and ask your yourself how much you appreciate the little things people do for you because they love you. These are not underrated. In fact, they may just be the sweetest and dearest things in life.

"I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you..." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:15

Healing Power

It was another one of those typical Sundays. We were at morning services and the time had come for the Lord's Supper to be served. The first prayer for the unleavened bread had been offered. And at this particular point, as always, I was trying to wrap my head around what it really meant for Jesus to die on the cross. My little girl was sitting next to me on her mother's lap, and as I glanced at her face I saw it. It reminded me of what Jesus had truly come to do.

A day or so ago my daughter had come into the living room crying because our oldest son had accidentally scratched her on the face. The scratch left an abrasion that was going to take a few days to heal. As she sat next to me I saw the mark still there on her small, soft cheek. It had improved a little but still had a long way to go. I thought to myself, "How wonderful that God has made the human body with its own healing power!" I would be especially sad if every time one of my children scraped a knee or cut their hand or scratched their face that it would leave a mark that would never go away.

God is a healing God. He is the only one who has the power to heal. Our limited capacity for our physical bodies to heal themselves comes from God's design. When it comes to being able to heal from within, God still holds the key. Sometimes we need healing from the pains and disappointments and sad circumstances of life. Sometimes we need to heal from the wounds we have regretfully inflicted upon others. Sometimes we need to be healed from the sting of sin. This is why Jesus came to earth and died.

At that moment, I realized again the majesty and wonder of the plan of God. He chose to heal our lives through the scars of our sins that were cast upon His own Son. But he knew it would be alright. He knew His Son would recover. For an eternal and all-powerful God, who created the material universe and even time itself, the physical death of Jesus was no more than a scratch. He knew that the marks would eventually heal. After all, He is God, and it is God who takes the scratches away.

No matter what sins we may be dealing with, and no matter what wounds we may suffer in life, we have a God who can heal us completely. There is no scratch that the power of the cross cannot restore. In the blood of Christ there is matchless, unlimited power. Healing power.

Yes, I'm headed for a home built by God alone.
 Hallelujah, Praise the Lord I am.
Where the only thing there that's been made by man
Are the scars in the hands of Jesus.

When We Cease to be Christians

 

This past Monday I travelled to Lawrenceburg, Tennessee for the sole purpose of spending a few hours with my grandparents, Bill and Barbara Watts. It was my Papa Bill's 85th birthday. It was a very special occasion for me, and I feel so blessed that I still have them with me, and that I can still be within driving distance and take them out to lunch.

As we were driving back to their home together I asked my Papa what he had learned in 85 years...what wisdom do you have for a 40 year-old preacher? (My Papa preached for 63 years before having to retire because of his health). He told me two things, one about preaching and one about life in general that I am saving to share at a later date. But as our conversation ended my grandmother added something that I want to share in this article.

My grandmother said, "Jeremy, everyone has a story. No matter where they have come from, no matter what they have done, the minute that we are no longer willing to reach out to others is the day when we cease to be Christians." After I said goodbye I had a long drive back home to think about all that had happened and all that had been said. While thinking about this particular statement from grandma, it occurred to me that my grandparents lives had been dedicated to accepting the truth of this statement and acting accordingly. I am so thankful for their example.

Everyone has a story. How true. God knows every page of every story and every letter of every word we will ever write in our book. He has chosen to know us so intimately that He pays attention to every detail of our lives individually. The ability He has to know us in this way and His willingness to do so is what makes Him God. When we begin to fathom the love that is displayed in His reading of our story and His desire to give it a joyous ending, how amazing the grace and mercy of God becomes! And this is where Christianity comes in. Once we realize what God has done for our story, it becomes our responsibility to care about the story of every man.

God created every individual with a purpose. To God, there is no person who is more beautiful than the next. Jesus came to die because this is what everyone needed. The contents of individual stories all have one thing in common, sin and a genuine and desperate need for redemption. And although we are so different in so many ways, our need for Christ is the central theme to every one of our stories.

If we are going to be the kind of people God created us to be, we will never forget that every person needs someone else to care about their story. If we will do this, we will truly be able to say that we are children of God. The day we stop caring about others will be the day when we cease to be Christians.

"Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!" - Psalm 90:14

What Do Your Kids Want for Christmas?

It has been a humbling day in so many ways. But this last thing that just happened surpassed the rest of the day in humbling moments by a wide margin. There is a family from our community our congregation has been helping . Without going into details, I will simply tell you that unless we provide them a Christmas, they are not going to have one. I have a great job. Today I got to pick up a Christmas tree that was donated by a kind lady with new lights and ornaments and deliver it to the house of this needy family. It was nice to see them be excited about it. I had asked the parents to get the two children, (a girl and a boy), to write up a wish list for Christmas. They gave it to me as I left.

What do your kids want for Christmas this year? Is it X-Box or Playstation? What kind of electronics and toys are they expecting? What brands and types of clothes? My oldest son honestly said when put to the test, he would love to have an "I - anything." You know, ipad, ipod, iphone - anything that starts with "I." Good luck with that, son (dream big!)...Let's face it, our kids are pretty blessed, we might even say spoiled. But it is Christmas. It is easy for us to give to them. What parent doesn't want to give their children more than they had when they were the same age?

So now let me tell you what is on the list of this little girl and boy (5th and 3rd grade):

Girl:
Pet Shops Littlest Pets
Dolls and Clothing
Hair-bows and Pony-tail clips
Coloring books and crayons
Books to read

Boy:
Push cars
A track for the cars
Coloring books and crayons
Books to read
Dinosaurs

They both said they would also like some Legos so they can play together.

How does reading that list make you feel?

You see, our kids are conditioned to ask for expensive things because of what they already have! But what is going to make them happy? None of the "things." But an expression of love and something new and special will be enough. What a humbling list! It makes me think about the difference between what I want and what I need. It makes me wonder if some of my wants don't need to change.

What do I want for Christmas? I already know. I want to fill the list for both of these children. That will be enough for me.

What do you want for Christmas?

"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’" - Acts 20:35